Brooke Bradley running for AQYHA Director position

Brooke Bradley running for a 2017-2018 AQHYA Director position interviewed by Alex Black

  1. Where do you live and with whom? 

I live in Plain City, Ohio with my parents Dan & Melissa and my two younger sisters, Blaire and Brenna.

 

  1. How do you want to be seen by your peers?

I want to be seen by my peers as kind, encouraging, fair and a good listener.

 

  1. What are your biggest strengths and weaknesses (personal & horse related)? Why?

My biggest strength with horses is my hard work, I have had to work VERY hard to get where I’m at today. My talented horses have helped, but it took a while to “click”. My personal strength is being trusting. I look for the very best in people and try to accept everyone as they are, faults and all. My biggest weakness with horses is my knees right now. They are giving me some trouble and I am working with an orthopedic doctor. My personal weakness is the same as my strength.. I’m too trusting of people. While I won’t let it change me, my trusting nature has allowed some to take advantage of me and really hurt me deep down.

 

  1. How do you contribute to your community?

I am a volunteer and a peer leader at my church, I am a Youth Group member, and I also am a part of an community outreach program through my school.

 

  1. Who do you admire most and why?

My grandfather. He is an amazing man who was born into a family with 15 children in extreme poverty. He was the first to graduate college, attended graduate school for his masters as a working man and made a huge success of himself in the government and private industry. In addition,he has been a rock to his family and is a generous and loving dad and granddaddy.  

 

  1. What goals are you working towards in the equine industry, academically, and outside of equine?

In the Equine Industry, I want to be top 5 at the Congress and make it back to the finals at the Youth World. Academically, I want to get my Sports and Fitness certification and attend a 4 year college out of state. I want to attend graduate school and become an Occupational Therapist working with special needs children.  

 

  1. Why do you want  to be an AQHYA Officer/ Director?

I have a passion for horses. I plan to have horses in one way or another for the rest of my life, and I want to be involved in decisions that promote the AQHA and keep it a great organization so it will be even better for future generations.

 

  1. What motivates you to be a leader?

Passion. When you have a passion for something, you want to be involved in all levels.

 

  1. Describe a typical day outside of showing.

My day starts at 7.. School is from 8:20 -2:45. Since I attend a technical high school, I get to wear my “uniform” of track pants and a T-shirt since I am in the sports & fitness program. My morning is spent in sports and fitness lab where we work out (could be weights, cardio, yoga, or training with Navy Seals that come over) and then we are hands on with plastic skeletons and muscle groups. After lab, I stay at Tolles and go on to my more traditional classes. After school, I drive home for a few minutes and then head to the barn. I usually am there for about 2-3 hours and then get home, have dinner, do homework, hang out with my family and then lights out.

 

  1. What is the biggest lesson you have learned through horses and leadership roles in OQHYA and/or AQHYA?

Teamwork. I believe we all work better when we put our heads together. We have many talented and bright youth in our industry and together we are stronger. As my grandfather likes to quote “many hands make work light”.